FIG. 1 illustrates an authentication processing procedure for a dial-up networking connection via a terminal in accordance with the conventional art.
Conventionally, to use a dial-up networking connection service, an authentication module in computer 1 transmits an authentication request packet (PAP_Authenticate_Request) to a mobile communications terminal 2, which then retransmits the authentication request packet to an authentication authorization accounting (AAA) server on the network 3. The AAA server responds to the authentication request packet by transmitting an acknowledge packet (PAP_Authentication_ACK) back to the mobile communications terminal 2, which in turn forwards the acknowledge packet to the computer 1. After receiving the acknowledge packet, the computer 1 executes IP Control Protocol (IPCP) negotiation, and thereby begins communication with the network 3.
The mobile communications terminal 2 performs no processing regarding the authentication request packet other than to forward the request to the AAA server. Also, the mobile communications terminal 2 performs no processing on the acknowledge packet other than to forward the acknowledge packet to the computer 1.
However, the conventional authentication method for the dial-up networking connection via the terminal has the following problem. After requesting authentication from the AAA server via the terminal 2, the computer 1 must receive an acknowledge packet from the AAA server responsive to an authentication request packet before performing the next step. Thus, the computer 1 does not perform any operation from the time an authentication request is sent until an authentication acknowledgement is received. This time includes the Round Trip Time (RTT) over the unassured mode (UM) interface for the request and acknowledgement. Here, the RTT refers to the time period beginning from when authentication information (e.g., authentication ID, authentication password, etc. for an authentication request of a computer) is transmitted to the network up to the time when a response packet with respect to the authentication request is received. A need therefore exists for a system and a method to reduce the total time required to authenticate a dial-up networking connection via a terminal.